Decorating can be a bit like musical chairs, especially if you're downsizing. Some pieces shift around, while others don't make the cut because there's just no space for them.

Luckily for homeowners Stephen and Pamela Mittel, interior designer Matthew MacCaul Turner proved adept at this game. In January 2010, the couple decided to sell their four-bedroom Pacific Heights home. A mere two months later, they were settling into a condo about two-thirds the size: an 1,800-square-foot two-bedroom in South of Market's Millennium Tower.

The move marked a drastic change in neighborhood as well as lifestyle for the San Francisco natives. (She grew up in St. Francis Wood; he in Cow Hollow.) "We needed to simplify our lives," said Stephen, who now walks to his finance job at the Ferry Building. "And this was a way to do that."

He and his wife of nearly 42 years wanted to adapt their existing furnishings from a traditional layout to a modern, open floor plan. Despite the myriad aesthetic differences between their past and present domiciles, the Mittels made just one purchase when they moved: a wall-mounted flat-screen television.

Seamless move

And they had Turner, who also devised the decor in their Pacific Heights abode, to thank for the seamless, budget-friendly migration. "I spent a lot of time cataloging and measuring everything," recalled the designer. "I placed everything before we even set foot in here. I'm very methodical and believe in a certain rigor when you take on a project."

Much of the Mittels' furniture continues to serve the same purpose as it did in their previous place - such as the dining tables and chairs, and the beds in the master suite and guest quarters. Then there are elements that have been adapted for use in different rooms. For instance, the living room in their former house was decorated with a six-panel Edo-era Japanese screen and two walnut and antique-mirror side tables that Turner designed. The screen now hangs above the couple's bed and the tables flank the bed as nightstands. "The key to reuse," said Turner, "is that the pieces are quality and classic."

Fortunately, some furniture had already undergone a face-lift and eased right into contemporary high-rise living. Turner had the staid skirt removed from the bottom of the Mittels' sofa and implemented carved wooden legs with a lotus blossom motif - a lighter, airier approach. The olive silk damask upholstery was also ditched in favor of a soft beige linen velvet with coral and lavender undertones.

Piano donated

Of course, there are items that were long gone by the time the movers arrived. A piano was donated to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The bench remains, however; Pamela spent three months on the needlepoint cushion cover, and it provides additional seating in the living room.

While the floor-to-ceiling windows in the unit's combination kitchen-living-dining space offer breathtaking panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay, they presented a challenge when it came to the Mittels' art collection. The expanses of glass equate to fewer walls on which to hang art. But Turner had a solution: He incorporated a selection of smaller framed works by the likes of Jasper Johns, Alberto Giacometti and Joan Miró into a salon-style gallery in the entry.

A large, ornate mirror is the anchor, grounding the hallway display. "People think the mirror is new," said Pamela, "but it's just more prominent now." Such is the case with many of their belongings that are no longer tucked away in seldom-frequented rooms. In fact, Pamela acknowledged that in their sleek and clean-lined interior, she and Stephen are "seeing things as if for the first time because they're being shown in a different light."

Turner added: "It might seem odd for a decorator to say, 'Leave the walls white,' but in this case, it makes everything pop. The art reads like it's presented at a museum." A wire sculpture by local artist Kristine Mays takes center stage between the living and dining areas, casting a brilliant shadow on the wall on sunlit afternoons.

"Adding the layers of traditional furniture, contemporary art and modern architecture just works when you have a competent designer," said Turner of the overall scheme. "There is joy in the variety of style, form, color, pattern and texture."

Much to the homeowners' delight, Turner's design is ideal for entertaining, with guests able to mingle and congregate in various spots. Last year, the residence was the site of a fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, an organization that the Mittels co-founded. (The event itself was hosted by Turner and Realtor Ana Dierkhising.)

'The most fun'

"This is by far the most fun place we've ever lived," said Pamela. She proceeded to rattle off a list of nearby attractions: movie theaters, restaurants (Michael Mina's RN74 is in the adjacent building; the moment the Mittels walk in, they are warmly greeted by name), museums, shops. Millennium Tower itself offers amenities that rival those of a luxury hotel, including an indoor pool, private dining establishment and screening room.

Pamela recounted their first New Year's Eve in the condo: "We were here with friends when, suddenly, we heard a 'pop, pop, pop,' " she said. "We came (into the living and dining room) and saw the most magnificent display of fireworks. We felt like kids again! It was so exciting - and a completely new experience, even though we've lived in San Francisco all of our lives."

Indeed, by shedding some of their possessions and extraneous space, the Mittels have discovered what they were looking for: a simpler lifestyle full of simple pleasures.